Kikuka Sho (Japanese St. Leger) (G1) - Preview

Danon Decile

Cosmo Kuranda

Urban Chic

Meisho Tabaru

Ecoro Walz

Meliorem

Redentor

Shonan la Punta

Byzantine Dream

Admire Terra

The JRA Grade 1 action continues at Kyoto Racecourse this coming Sunday (October 20), when the Kikuka Sho (Japanese St. Leger) will be run over 3,000 meters on the outer turf course at the track, which is a short distance to the south of the city of Kyoto. It is the final leg of the Triple Crown races for 3-year-old colts, following on from the Grade 1 Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas) and the Grade 1 Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby), both run earlier in the year.

The Grade 1 Kikuka Sho (Japanese St. Leger) was first run in 1938, and has for the most part been run at Kyoto, except for years when renovation has taken place at the track, which was most recently in 2021 and 2022. Some big-name winners of the race these past 10 years or so have included Epiphaneia (2013), Kitasan Black (2015) and Contrail (2020), with the latter being the last horse to claim the Triple Crown, and just the eighth to do so in Japanese racing history.

There are 18 nominations for this Sunday’s big race, and the maximum field size is set at 18, so there will be no disappointments when it comes to getting a start. No geldings are permitted to run, and all the colts (no fillies have been nominated to run) will carry a set weight of 57kg. First favorites have only been led into the winner’s enclosure three times in the last 10 years, with Contrail being the last favorite to win. The race has been run on good to firm ground nine times in the past decade, with just 2017 seeing a rain-affected track. Record time for the race at Kyoto was set by Toho Jackal, winning in a time of 3 minutes, 1.0 seconds in 2014. This year’s winner’s check is JPY200 million (in the region of USD1.4 million).

Two official trial races for the Grade 1 Kikuka Sho (Japanese St. Leger) have been the Grade 2 Kobe Shimbun Hai, run over 2,200 meters at Chukyo, and the Grade 2 Asahi Hai St. Lite Kinen, run over 2,200 meters at Nakayama, with both races being run in September.

Post time for the 85th running of the Grade 1 Kikuka Sho (Japanese St. Leger) is 15:40 local time, and it will be Race 11 on the Sunday card at Kyoto. Final declarations and the barrier draw will be available later in the week.

Here’s a look at some of the top horses expected to take on Sunday’s big race:

Danon Decile: This year’s Grade 1 Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) winner surprised many when winning the Classic at odds of 46/1, but he’ll start a lot shorter for this next race, despite not having had a run since his big win. He had also been off the track for a while before the Derby, so trainer Shogo Yasuda is unconcerned about the horse’s spell without a race. “He showed how well he could run in the Derby, despite not having a run since the Keisei Hai,” the trainer said. “On his return to the stable, the weather has been very hot, so the decision was made to send him directly to the Kikuka Sho. His weight was about 530kg when he came back to the stable, but he does seem to be more muscular now.” Jockey Norihiro Yokoyama will be putting all his experience to good use again, hoping for another top-class victory here on the son of Epiphaneia.

Cosmo Kuranda: The colt by Al Ain missed out on a first three finish in the Grade 1 Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby), but in one race since, he finished second to Urban Chic in the Grade 2 Asahi Hai St. Lite Kinen over 2,200 meters at Nakayama in September. Assistant trainer Yoshinori Ito commented: “We’ve kept him at the stable since his last race and have been getting him ready for the Kikuka Sho. He’s recovered from his last race well, and we’ve been able to increase his work recently, training him on the uphill and getting him into the pool. He does things his way, and from now we’ll work him on the woodchip course before the race.” Jockey Mirco Demuro takes the ride on Cosmo Kuranda, in a bid to score his 35th JRA Grade 1 win, and he last won the Kikuka Sho in 2017 with Kiseki.

Meisho Tabaru: His racing style is to go off in front and try and stay there, and while this could be difficult over 3,000 meters, the colt by Gold Ship might just have the ability to spring a surprise. He came back from injury last time, and won the Grade 2 Kobe Shimbun Hai over 2,200 meters at Chukyo in September, with his usual front-running display. Trainer Mamoru Ishibashi said: “Jockey Suguru Hamanaka made sure not to push him too hard in the first half of the Kobe Shimbun Hai, and the horse found a good rhythm. The jockey said the horse is more mature now than in the spring, and knows when to switch on. We’ll just have to see how he does over the distance this time.”

Urban Chic: The colt by Suave Richard could only finish eleventh in the Grade 1 Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby), but he bounced back last time with a good win in the Grade 2 Asahi Hai St. Lite Kinen over 2,200 meters at Nakayama last month, which puts him in contention here. That and the fact Christophe Lemaire looks set to ride him again this time. Trainer Ryo Takei commented: “He doesn’t seem to have put on any more muscle through the summer, but he seems stronger mentally, and his last win should help him in this next race. He took on some of the top horses from his generation last time, and I think he can still improve more.”

Ecoro Walz: Ridden by Yasunari Iwata in his last two races, the horse has been a lot closer to the pace both times, and he managed a third-place finish last time behind Urban Chic in the Grade 2 Asahi Hai St. Lite Kinen. “He ran well last time in his first race since the Derby,” said assistant trainer Goro Takahashi. “The jockey thinks the horse has matured quite a bit. This next race will be 3,000 meters, but if he can get into the flow of the race like last time, things should be fine.” Yasunari Iwata keeps the ride, and his last JRA Grade 1 win was with Rainbow Line in the 2018 Tenno Sho (Spring), so he’ll be hoping it’s time once more for a big win.

Meliorem: Trainer Yasuo Tomomichi looks set to have two runners in the race (Justin Milano is not one of them, having not been nominated), and Meliorem is perhaps the one to catch the eye most, as he improves during his 3-year-old career. A son of Grade 1 Japan Cup winner Cheval Grand (also trained by Tomomichi), Meliorem had just his first start in a graded race last time, when finishing fifth in the Grade 2 Kobe Shimbun Hai in September. “He’s been at the stable since running in the Kobe Shimbun Hai,” the trainer said. “He should improve for that last race, and he looks to have enough stamina to run well over 3,000 meters. I also think he’ll be suited by the outer track at Kyoto.” Jockey Yuga Kawada comes in for the ride once more on Meliorem.

Redentor: The colt by Rulership hasn’t taken the obvious path to this week’s big race, but with four wins from his six starts, he’s by no means one to overlook. He was last seen winning easily in a three-win class race over 2,200 meters at Niigata in August. Comments from assistant training staff were: “He found a good rhythm in the Nihonkai Stakes last time, and it was a good win. He had a spell at the farm after that, and on returning to the stable, his condition is better than before his last race and he’s been working well.” Redentor runs in the Carrot Farm colors, is trained by Tetsuya Kimura, and will be ridden by Keita Tosaki.

Shonan la Punta: Despite a disappointing run in the Grade 1 Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) two starts ago, the son of Kizuna made up for it with a third-place finish last time in the Grade 2 Kobe Shimbun Hai, where he finished off well to be 2 1/2 lengths behind the winner Meisho Tabaru. Trainer Tomokazu Takano said: “Up to now, one thing has been getting him to run straight, but last time after the start, he found a good rhythm and took the first corner well, which I was pleased about. He came out of the race well and should improve for it. One of the keys in this next race will be how he handles the 3,000 meters compared to the other horses.”

Two other runners to note are Byzantine Dream and Admire Terra. The former is to be ridden by visiting jockey Andrasch Starke, while Yutaka Take will ride Admire Terra for the first time for trainer Yasuo Tomomichi.